Singapore
Press Holdings (SPH) has filed a copyright infringement suit against Yahoo! -
alleging that the search giant reproduced news content from SPH's stable of
newspapers without its permission.
The lawsuit, pitting a predominantly traditional
media owner against a new media firm, is believed to be the first of its kind
here.
The writ of summons and statement of claim
were filed by SPH in the Singapore High Court last Friday, and on Monday were
served on Yahoo! Southeast Asia.
Yahoo! - represented by lawyers from Bird
& Bird LLP - responded to the lawsuit yesterday and has up till Dec 13 to
file its defence.
In its statement of claim, SPH cited, as
examples, 23 articles from its newspapers which Yahoo! was alleged to have
reproduced substantially over a 12-month period. This was done without the
licence or authorisation of the Singapore-listed media group.
The articles, including political and crime
stories, were first published in the print editions of The Straits Times, The New
Paper and My Paper between Nov 16 last year and Oct 20 this year.
They were allegedly used on Yahoo! Southeast
Asia's websites, including a section called 'Latest Singapore News'.
Citing an independent survey, Yahoo! had in
the past touted its South-east Asia sites as the "first choice information
source" for Internet users seeking news on this year's Singapore general
election.
Its news websites provide mainly free daily
news reports on Singapore and, like The Straits Times Breaking News website, is
among one of the top news sites here.
Content in The Straits Times print edition,
which is available for sale and subscription, is also available online,
including through iPhone and iPad apps for a fee.
Breaking news on the apps and online, however,
remains free.
The latest Nielsen readership survey, released
last month, puts The Straits Times' daily readership at an estimated 1.346
million.
In its statement of claim, SPH alleged that
Yahoo! relied on the 23 articles to provide content on the Internet firm's own
website.
SPH, represented by Wong Partnership, also
said in the court papers that to the best of its knowledge, Yahoo! generates
revenue by marketing and selling advertising space on its website. This
includes revenue from advertisers each time a visitor clicks on an
advertisement displayed, it is believed.
Yahoo! had denied any copyright infringements
in an earlier letter, and a writ was issued.
Despite SPH's request to cease from further
infringing acts, the statement of claim added, substantial reproductions of the
media company's content continue to be available on Yahoo! Southeast Asia's
sites.
SPH is asking the court to declare that Yahoo!
Southeast Asia has infringed on its content, an injunction against the company
from continuing the infringement, and damages.
Media experts say this latest copyright
infringement lawsuit is possibly a landmark case.
Asked if it may have an impact on how news
websites operate, Professor Ang Peng Hwa, director of the Singapore Internet
Research Centre at Nanyang Technological University, said: "It could set
some precedent, depending on what comes out."
When contacted last night, Yahoo! Southeast
Asia managing editor Alan Soon declined comment.
Leonard Lim
The Straits Times
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